CSU Pre-Professor Program (UCI-PREPP)

PREPP Program Guidelines

  • UCI Postdoctoral Fellows (1-2 years from applying to faculty jobs) 
  • UCI M.F.A. and Ph.D. students (1-3 years from finishing degree) **Students earning self-supporting graduate degrees are not eligible
  • Domestic and international students eligible
  • Any discipline/department represented at CSU is eligible
  • Preference for fellows who meet the UC definition of diversity

PREPP Program Features

PREPP Fellows will be partnered with a CSU Faculty Mentor who will oversee the project. Fellows will learn what faculty life is like at a comprehensive master’s granting institution. Your doctoral studies and post-doc positions prepare you for research and scholarship, which is a large part of the job. This program focuses on the other components of a faculty position, instructionally related activities (teaching, curriculum, mentoring students), service activities, and how research is conducted at a master’s comprehensive university. At the beginning of the program, UCI Graduate Division will provide a professional development support stipend,  $200 for students assigned to Southern California CSU campuses and $750 for those assigned to Northern California CSU campuses.  Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive an additional $1,000 award.

Instructional Activities
Instructional activities are a broad topic that encompasses teaching (and all the tasks associated with that) and mentoring. Teaching is a rather broad category that includes several tasks, from planning for instruction, planning and teaching lessons, and mentoring students (teaching in small groups or one-on-one).

Campus Culture of a Comprehensive Master’s University & Service
Fellows will learn how a campus runs and the role of a faculty member within the structure of a comprehensive university. First and foremost, Fellows need to learn about department life within their field(s). How does a department run, what’s expected of new faculty, and in what role(s) do junior faculty engage? How is research carried out, and what forms of support are there for research? These questions will be answered by participating in a variety of tasks, discussions, and assignments.

Typical Program Activities/Assignments

I = Instruction, M = Mentoring, C = Campus Culture, S = Service, JR = Job Readiness

  • Develop a Syllabus (I)
  • Prepare and teach two class sessions in a course within your doctoral discipline (ideally one lower-division and one upper-division) (I)
  • Observations of teaching with debriefing (I)
  • Identify instructional support services on campus (I)
  • Curriculum Committee (I, C, S)
  • Attend a department meeting (C)
  • Meet with Department Chair (C)
  • Tenure/Retention Expectations (C)
  • Understanding Shared Governance (S, C)
  • Components of a good cover letter (JR, C)
  • Inclusive Excellence Statement/Teaching Philosophy Statement (JR, C)
  • Attend a lab meeting (M)
  • Attend a mentoring meeting between faculty and student (M)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is PREPP an in-person or virtual program?
    • It is a virtual program. However, UCI offers financial support to visit the CSU campus in-person and participate in select activities there.
  • How many PREPP fellows are admitted?
    • 24 PREPP fellows from UCI in the Spring 2025 program (these numbers are subject to change each semester)
  • I have a connection with a faculty member at a CSU. Can they be my PREPP mentor?
    • No, CSU PREPP mentors have been selected and you would work with them.
  • Can international students participate in PREPP? Can PREPP sponsor a visa?
    • Yes, international students can participate but note that you are applying to be part of a program and not a job, and thus PREPP cannot sponsor a visa.
  • If I am selected for PREPP, will I be offered a faculty position? Am I guaranteed an interview for a CSU job?
    • No, PREPP is designed to provide you with a sense of what faculty life is like at a CSU and help you determine if it is a good fit for your professional career. Applying to faculty positions is a separate and independent process.
  • If I am a Project Scientists can I participate in PREPP?
    • Unfortunately no, project scientists cannot eligible.
  • If I already have a Master’s degree – can I participate in PREPP?
    • Yes, *IF* a Master’s is the terminal degree in your discipline.
  • What if my primary CSU mentor is not in my discipline?
    • This is often the case and is totally OK! Your primary mentor will provide you with valuable insight into life at a CSU AND connect you with your home department’s faculty.
  • I’m in my first year and want to apply now! May I?
    • The ideal candidate is about 1-2 years away from applying to faculty positions.
  • I’m 1-to-2 years away from applying, but I have a time-intensive quarter. May I still apply?
    • Because the majority of PREPP activities occur M-F between 9AM-5PM, it is best to participate in PREPP during a term when your schedule is more flexible. The expected commitment is 4-5 hours/week.
  • I applied previously but was not accepted. May I apply again?
    • Yes! We encourage you to reapply.

Applications for Spring 2025 now open!

Information Session 

Learn more about the application process and hear from PREPP Alumni.

CSU PREPP Information Session

Watch the recording of the Spring 2025 information session here.

How to Apply

Interested doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars will prepare an application and submit the following documents to be reviewed by PREPP program faculty. A PDF with application instructions is available.

Please prepare the documents listed below. Once you have them ready, complete the PREPP application and upload your documents to the CSU PREPP UCI Spring 2025 Application.

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, November 8th 2024, at 11:59PM.

For questions, please contact Dr. Arturo Zavala, CSU PREPP Director at azavala@calstate.edu.

Please include your most recent CV. 

Include a personal statement (500 words or less) that focuses on the following prompts: 

  1. Tell us about yourself. 
  2. Why are you applying for this program? What do you hope to gain from the experience? 
  3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

Include a teaching statement (500 words or less). Your statement might include responses to the following prompts: 

  1. What teaching experience have you had? Describe your strengths and weaknesses as an instructor. 
  2. What do you want to learn about teaching and instructionally related activities? 
  3. What do you think teaching diverse undergraduate students might look like? 
  4. What do you think would be the most effective approaches to teaching diverse undergraduate students? 
  5. Describe a particular memorable teaching/learning episode. 

As this program requires time, we require approval from your primary research advisor/supervisor. The mentor should complete the PREPP Mentor Support Form. When you submit your application, you will be asked to submit their email so they can get a link to upload the form.  Download form here.

Hear From Past Fellows

Alejandra Hormaza Mejia

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Cal Poly Pomona

Ph.D., UCI Mechanical Engineering, 2023

PREPP was the perfect program for me to participate in as a graduate student. It exposed me to a career with the perfect balance of teaching and research.

I especially appreciated the built-in mentoring from a variety of professionals who had my dream job, and the ability to network with others at CSULB in my field. The program was also especially useful because it provided me with a close-up view of the path I needed to take to achieve my career goals. I highly recommend participating in this!

Alma P. Olaguez

Assistant Professor, Psychology, CSU Los Angeles

Ph.D., UCI Psychological Science, 2021

The PRE-Professor Program truly introduced me to the role of a faculty member at a CSU. I met with several individuals at various levels throughout the university (department, college, university) which helped me understand what shared governance was and how my role as a future faculty member contributes to this ecosystem. I developed my identity and confidence as a faculty member, which was critical to my performance during my job interview. I had the language to describe my potential contributions to the various levels at the university, showing my commitment to students and faculty beyond the department level. The introduction to the tenure process was also great, these conversations allowed me to ask questions without judgement. I deeply appreciate this experience, and I still have valuable relationships with faculty I met during that semester. I’d encourage future fellows to maximize their experience by meeting as many folks as possible and fellows can reach out to me if they’d like to establish a network!

Yasmine Sherafat

Assistant Professor, Psychology, CSU San Marcos

Ph.D., UCI Neurobiology and Behavior 2021

The PREPP program provided me with invaluable resources and opportunities to learn about the responsibilities and expectations of being a professor at a CSU. Now, as a current faculty member at a CSU, I continue to benefit from the networking and insights I gained, which have been instrumental in my professional development.

Tatiane Lima

Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Cal Poly Pomona

UCI Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Postdoctoral Scholar

PREPP was instrumental in my transition to a tenure-track faculty career. For years, I knew I wanted to become faculty and was interested in joining a university where I could balance teaching and research. The program gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the CSU system and really get a taste of what my life could be. I learned so much… I met regularly with a mentor (Dr. Molidor) who was passionate about teaching, met faculty from the Biology department, visited labs, and learned about the RTP process. More than anything, the program gave me the confidence to believe I could do it.